Cyprus marks 66th independence anniversary with military parade in Nicosia

Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus marked the 66th anniversary of its independence on Thursday with a military parade in Nicosia, where the National Guard publicly displayed its Barak MX modular multi-mission air and missile defence system for the first time.

Military equipment and flyovers

The medium-to-long-range defence system was among the military equipment showcased during the parade on Iosif Hadjiosif Avenue.

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Unmanned aerial vehicles were also displayed, while a formation of four Airbus H145M attack helicopters flew over Nicosia. Two F-16 Viper fighter jets from the Hellenic Air Force conducted a low-altitude flyby.

International participation

Military contingents from Egypt and Britain took part in the parade for the first time, alongside an Egyptian Air Force Airbus C295 transport aircraft.

French marines, as well as US marines and sailors from the destroyer USS Roosevelt, also participated.

Officials in attendance

President Nikos Christodoulides took the salute at the parade, which began at 11am. He was accompanied by Defence Minister Vasilis Palmas, Greek Defence Minister Nikos Dendias, National Guard chief Lieutenant General Emmanouel Theodorou and Greece’s Chief of the National Defence General Staff General Dimitrios Houpis.

Foreign officials attending included Britain’s Chief of the Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton, representatives of the armed forces of Egypt, France and the United States, foreign ambassadors and defence attachés.